Before Tallstar became Leader
by Awesome Bluefire
Summary: What happened before Talltail became leader? What happened to his half-siblings and the others?
1. Chapter 1

Talltail and Stagleap sat down, sharing a vole Plumclaw had caught. "So, are you coming to the Gathering tonight?" Talltail asked the tom.

"Yeah." He responded.

"Do you want Shimmerpelt to be there?" Talltail teased. He remembered long ago when it was his first Gathering. Doespring told him that Stagleap had a crush on Shimmerpelt, a black she-cat from RiverClan.

"She has a mate now." Stagleap sighed. "Piketooth, remember?"

"Are you jealous?"

"I'm loyal to WindClan!" He snapped. "But yes. I wished Shimmerpelt could be in WindClan, but she's a RiverClan cat at heart." Stagleap made a pause before saying, "Why are we always talking about my love life? How about you and Reena?"

"I suppose I did have a small crush on her." Talltail admitted. "But I'll never see her again."

"That's upsetting. She could've stayed in WindClan and then I could make fun of you for once." Stagleap purred. "If you had to pick one cat in WindClan to be your mate, who would it be?"

"I don't want to play this game!" Talltail swiped his tongue around his jaws before getting to his paws. He tried walking away, but Stagleap gripped his teeth into his long tail. "Oh for StarClan's sake, Stagleap!"

"Answer my question, or I bite harder." Stagleap said.

"You're such a kit!" Talltail growled before saying, "I used to like Ryestalk, but now I guess Doespring!"

"You like my sisters! Ha!" Stagleap laughed.

"Hopefully Shimmerpelt's at the Gathering tonight! I'll tell her your secret!" He growled before going out for patrol with Dawnstripe and Redclaw.

"What's with you and Stagleap acting like kits?" Redclaw asked.

"Asking kit questions." Talltail responded.

"Like what?" Dawnstripe asked.

"Who did we like in the Clan." He muttered.

Dawnstripe laughed. "You're right. Those _are _kit questions!"

"Really? Who do you like, Dawnstripe?" Redclaw teased.

"Oh hush!" She swiped a paw playfully. She ran forward a moment later when a brown rabbit darted across the moor. She ran faster and made a might a mighty leap, slamming a paw on the back of its neck.

"Nice catch!" Talltail congratulated.

Dawnstripe purred, acknowledging him.

Redclaw whipped his head around, when a thrush landed on the ground, pecking with its beak. He crouched low to the ground, and circled its blind side before biting a wing, and killing it. "C'mon, Talltail! Don't tell me the senior warriors are beating you in hunting!"

"In your dreams!" Talltail purred before running further across the moor, finding a mouse. He quickly dashed after it. He nearly missed it, but a claw caught its tail. He pulled it closer to him and bit its rump. "We all have prey to bring back to the Clan, now!"

"We're not done yet, Talltail!" Dawnstripe said, digging a hole to store her rabbit in. Redclaw dug his thrush next to hers, and Talltail quickly dug up his mouse.

"Let's go!" Redclaw said.

When the hunting was finished, they returned to the Clan. Reedfeather greeted them at the entrance. "Quickly! We're about to leave for the Gathering!" He said.

Talltail ran into camp, about to hit Appledawn. "I'm sorry!"

"Just watch where you're going next time!" She snapped.

Talltail's ears flattened, but he put his mouse on the fresh-kill pile. He saw Barkface and ran towards him. "Hey, are you going to the Gathering?"

"Yes," Barkface nodded. "Hawkheart says he's staying here. Ryestalk will be giving birth to Shrewclaw's kits soon." He said sadly. Shrewclaw was Barkface's brother, and he died from loosing too much blood.

Talltail vowed to eventually kill one of their own. ShadowClan caused the deaths of Brackenwing and Shrewclaw, and Talltail was once again angry. He was always angry since Sandgorse, his father, died. But he had learned that it wasn't Sparrow's fault. Ever since then, Talltail wasn't as angry.

"Oh. I'm excited to see them." Talltail said.

"Me too." Barkface meowed.

"Who's going to the Gathering?" He asked.

"Heatherstar, Reedfeather, me, you, Doespring, Stagleap, Larksplash, Hareflight, Hickorynose, and Plumclaw is all I know." He said.

"I'm going to ask Heatherstar if Deadpaw can come." Talltail said, and trotted over towards the leader's den.

"Heatherstar?" Talltail asked, peeping his head through the entrance.

"Talltail? Come in!" She said.

"I wanted to ask if Deadpaw could come to the Gathering." Talltail said.

"Oh, of course! Sorrelpaw and Pigeonpaw can come along as well." She said.

"Okay, thank you, Heatherstar." Talltail dipped his head before leaving. He went off to find the black tom, and saw Deadpaw limping towards Meadowslip.

"Deadpaw." Talltail greeted his apprentice.

"Hi, Talltail!" He greeted.

"You, Sorrelpaw, and Pigeonpaw are coming to the Gathering tonight." Talltail said.

"Yay! I'll go tell them!" He said and dashed off.

Talltail purred. A moment later, Deadpaw returned. "Are we leaving yet?"

"Yes." He said. And the two walked their way to the Gathering.


	2. Chapter 2

Talltail and Deadpaw were walking to the Gathering. "Hey, Deadpaw! Do you want to race?" Sorrelpaw asked. Pigeonpaw was beside her, an excited face.

Deadpaw looked up at Talltail for permission. "Alright," He sighed.

Doespring and Stagleap allowed their apprentices to race. Deadpaw was in last first, and Talltail wished he could at least beat Pigeonpaw. The young tom did have short legs. "C'mon Deadpaw!" Sorrelpaw yelled.

"Sorrelpaw's so fast!" Stagleap boasted about his apprentice. "That's why I'm the perfect mentor for her!"

"Oh, yeah right! Like _you're _the fastest WindClan cat!" Doespring snorted.

"I'm faster than you!" Stagleap growled.

"I've beaten you countless times!" She hissed.

"And I've beaten _both _of you countless times!" Talltail interrupted. "If anyone deserved to win this race, it should be Deadpaw! He needs to prove that he's a fast runner!"

Deadpaw was gaining on Pigeonpaw. "C'mon, Pigeonpaw! Stretch your legs, and stop stomping while running! It makes your pads hurt, which makes you go slower!" Doespring yelled.

Pigeonpaw flicked an ear, acknowledging his mentor. Deadpaw was now slowing down a bit. Talltail thought quickly. "Stomp your twisted paw, Deadpaw! It will strengthen it!"

Deadpaw started to stomping it and eventually gained up on Pigeonpaw.

"Sorrelpaw, block 'em off!" Stagleap yelled.

The gray and brown she-cat got in Deadpaw's way. "Deadpaw, slide!" Talltail yelled.

The black tom hesitated before crouched down and sliding under Sorrelpaw. Talltail glanced at Stagleap and made a smirk. "Deadpaw's the fast one now!"

Stagleap snorted. "It's her first time!"

"It's Deadpaw's first time too! And he's won!" Talltail said happily.

They made it to Fourtrees to where the apprentices retreated to their mentors. He eyed ShadowClan madly. "Deadpaw, stay here." He commanded. Doespring and Stagleap followed close behind, angry glares on their faces.

"So, how have you been, _murderers_?" Talltail snarled at Newtspeck.

The black and ginger she-cat hissed. "I can tell you the same thing! I saw you the other day, in our territory! Looking for Sparrow was it?"

"I _saved_ him! But your Clan has killed Brackenwing _and _Shrewclaw! If I'm next, I'm killing every single one of you first!" He growled.

"I'd like to see you try!" Newtspeck snorted.

Talltail decided to tease her a bit. "I see why they call you Newtspeck." He said.

"Why?"

"It's a perfect resemblance."

She unsheathed her claws madly. Frogtail rushed to her side, and calmed her down. He whispered in her ear and walked away with her, giving Talltail a disdainful stare. He rolled his eyes. _I will avenge Shrewclaw and Brackenwing _


	3. Chapter 3

The warriors returned from the Gathering. Talltail was speaking to Dawnstripe. "You should get a mate." She said. "The Clan needs more kits in the nursery." She said.

"Uh, no. I don't think that's going to happen." He said. "Why don't you?"

"There's no tom I'm interested in." She responded.

"You're one of the fastest runners here, the fiercest fighter, and every cat respects you!" Talltail purred to his former mentor.

"So what?" She narrowed her eyes.

"It's just that if you become a queen, if you retire, you could see your kits grow into the great warrior you were." He said.

"Wouldn't you like to do that?" She questioned.

He sighed and murmured reluctantly, "Perhaps."

Talltail was staring at the moon and felt a presence nearby. He turned to see Doespring. "Hey, you okay?" She asked.

"Oh, yes. I just miss the visitors." He said.

"And Reena?"

"H-how did you know?" he asked.

"You and Stagleap weren't as quiet as you think." She said awkwardly.

Talltail's eyes widened. _Did she hear what I said about her? _He felt his pelt grew hot with embarrassment and he looked away, staring at the moon again.

"I'm just kidding! It's just that you two were close when you were an apprentice." She purred.

He sighed with relief. "Remember that huge crush Stagleap has on Shimmerpelt?" He laughed.

"He still likes her!" She purred.

Stagleap joined the two. "Oh really? Teasing me, now, are we?" He growled, and looked at Talltail. He felt his fur grow hot again.

"Really? Talltail, remember that crush on Reena you had? And who else..." Stagleap hesitated for a moment. "Ryestalk...no..."

He sank his claws into the ground. "Hey, Doespring, do you want to go for a walk, so we won't have our chats interrupted?" He glared at Stagleap.

Doespring looked at Talltail and her brother. "S-sure." She led Talltail away, but he couldn't help but look at Stagleap, who smirked.

"I'll get you eventually." He purred and padded back into the den.

Talltail quickly padded after Doespring. "So, what was that stare down about you and Stagleap about?"

"Oh...well you see, earlier we were asking each other who we liked in the Clan." He said.

She made a surprised jump and looked at Talltail.

"I didn't want him to tell you that I used to like Ryestalk." His ears flattened against his head.

"So, who would you pick besides her?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh..." He felt defeated. "You're not a bad choice. Why not you?" He started to shake nervously.

She purred. "I would pick you, too."

He looked at her happily. "I guess I'm third?" She said.

"W-what do you mean?"

"You like Reena, and Ryestalk. I'm third." She made a fake laugh.

"Oh, no! Reena, yes I do miss her. Ryestalk is Shrewclaw's mate and pregnant with his kits. You're a good first! I mean, you're a beautiful she-cat, any tom would be lucky to have you." He said, and widened his eyes. He admitted her liked Doespring...He felt nervous until her tail twined with his.

"And any she-cat would be lucky to be mates with you." She purred.

He nuzzled her, and she rested her head on his neck, purring.


End file.
